There are a variety of audio tools out there to help promote student learning in both regular and online teaching situations. The use of audio allow students to get an auditory sense of what they are learning about or how to do a certain task. Teachers can use these audio tools to present a lecture or demonstration or how-to. Students can use these tools to present their information. Audio tools can also provide a way for teachers, students and even parents to communicate in an audio format online.
We already worked with one audio tool with semester with the introduction to podcasts. Audacity is the one of the leading websites in creating audio podcasts for use in the classroom. These podcasts can be used to deliver lectures, give furthered detailed instructions, and serve as a presentation style student's can use when presenting their own information. GarageBand, available on Mac, serves the same purpose.
Voxopop is another audio tool that sets up Talkgroups or Discussions for extended online learning. It appears to be a great tool for students learning another language, whether it be ESL learners or in a foreign language study class. It allows the students to practice their oral language skills. The website is also great for audio discussions on a specific topic. Instead of a typed discussion between teacher and/or students, they are orally discussing the topic outside of the classroom. Lastly students can create an audio presentation to be made available to students and the teacher. Registration is needed for this website, but I'm not sure if their is a fee or not.
Some lessons might benefit from the use of audio captions to specific photos. Fotobabble is a program that allows you to upload a picture or image and give it a voice. I can see this being helpful in creating online all about me presentations. The students can record their caption for each photo that describes themselves. This can also be brought into the lessons and activities. Students can upload a picture of a famous person from history and the audio 'caption' can introduce us to that person. Students could also upload a picture they drew up the water cycle (or similar idea) and explain their model with the audio component.
Skype is a audio and video messenger that can be downloaded from the internet for communication purposes. Skype requires a username to be set up and that username can connect and chat with other skype users. Although there is a visual/video component, skype allows for audio communication between both users. This could be used in communication with parents and teachers who can't meet in person. I think this would also be an interesting tool to have different classrooms from different areas of the country (or world) communicate with each other.
A useful audio website called Chirbit is available to upload recordings and enables the user to listen and share sound bites. It can be accessed easily by going to www.chirbit.com. It offers the ability to record directly and to use text to speech or to upload your own audio files. Audio files can be embedded into any website or project. This is a free online tool which is always good for teacher and student use. Students can create webpage’s and PowerPoint presentations then add their own voice recordings using this site. There is a video to help learn how to navigate the site and learn how to create your own recordings. The site does require you to sign up and create a username and password. All that is necessary is a microphone, webcam, or an mp3/wav audio file to get started.
We already worked with one audio tool with semester with the introduction to podcasts. Audacity is the one of the leading websites in creating audio podcasts for use in the classroom. These podcasts can be used to deliver lectures, give furthered detailed instructions, and serve as a presentation style student's can use when presenting their own information. GarageBand, available on Mac, serves the same purpose.
Voxopop is another audio tool that sets up Talkgroups or Discussions for extended online learning. It appears to be a great tool for students learning another language, whether it be ESL learners or in a foreign language study class. It allows the students to practice their oral language skills. The website is also great for audio discussions on a specific topic. Instead of a typed discussion between teacher and/or students, they are orally discussing the topic outside of the classroom. Lastly students can create an audio presentation to be made available to students and the teacher. Registration is needed for this website, but I'm not sure if their is a fee or not.
Some lessons might benefit from the use of audio captions to specific photos. Fotobabble is a program that allows you to upload a picture or image and give it a voice. I can see this being helpful in creating online all about me presentations. The students can record their caption for each photo that describes themselves. This can also be brought into the lessons and activities. Students can upload a picture of a famous person from history and the audio 'caption' can introduce us to that person. Students could also upload a picture they drew up the water cycle (or similar idea) and explain their model with the audio component.
Skype is a audio and video messenger that can be downloaded from the internet for communication purposes. Skype requires a username to be set up and that username can connect and chat with other skype users. Although there is a visual/video component, skype allows for audio communication between both users. This could be used in communication with parents and teachers who can't meet in person. I think this would also be an interesting tool to have different classrooms from different areas of the country (or world) communicate with each other.
A useful audio website called Chirbit is available to upload recordings and enables the user to listen and share sound bites. It can be accessed easily by going to www.chirbit.com. It offers the ability to record directly and to use text to speech or to upload your own audio files. Audio files can be embedded into any website or project. This is a free online tool which is always good for teacher and student use. Students can create webpage’s and PowerPoint presentations then add their own voice recordings using this site. There is a video to help learn how to navigate the site and learn how to create your own recordings. The site does require you to sign up and create a username and password. All that is necessary is a microphone, webcam, or an mp3/wav audio file to get started.